What are they?
 A painted intersection box is an area at or near a signalized intersection or railway crossing where criss-cross diagonal white stripes have been painted. These markings indicate to the driver that the area should be kept clear while waiting for a signal change. The painted intersection box may be reinforced by a "DO NOT BLOCK INTERSECTION" sign.
What are the issues?
The Motor Vehicle Act states that it is illegal to block a street or railroad crossing while waiting for a traffic signal. The painted intersection box simply reinforces an existing law.
Maintaining pavement markings is a major expense for HRM and painted intersection boxes, in particular, require significant maintenance due to the large painted area.
When are they used?
Occasionally, they may be used to mark railroad crossings near signalized intersections, as they are less apparent than an intersecting street. They may also be used when the location of the intersection or extent of the cross street traffic is not obvious.
Typically, they are not used at intersections or driveways which are situated close to a signalized intersection. Blockage of driveways can occur at almost every busy intersection throughout HRM and past experience has shown these applications to be ineffective. Overuse of painted intersection boxes lessens their effectiveness. Too many pavement markings and signage at or near busy intersections only adds to driver distraction.
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